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* * *
Mana Trap. A skill that was hardly used in high-floor conquests and difficult to find users for had popped up during the duel. As the name suggested, because it reacted to mana, it often exploded randomly in response to fellow hunters’ mana rather than magical beasts’ mana.
‘He’s really going all out. He’s laid them so densely there’s no room to step!’
Even to Samin’s eyes, which weren’t particularly excellent at mana sensitivity, the mana traps were visible enough to be astounding in their density. Unless his mana was insufficient enough to cause mana shock, there was no way to avoid them.
Samin gritted his teeth and racked his brain, then ran toward Doun as if to show off. The traps that reacted to Samin’s mana exploded, creating a barrage of thunderous roars.
Boom boom boom boom!
Doun narrowed his eyes and watched Samin through the acrid smoke that stung his eyes. It definitely looked like an explosion Samin had induced.
Whoosh!
At the fist flying through the thick smoke, Doun smiled faintly. His prediction was correct. Even if it was lucky coincidence, he couldn’t help but gain confidence.
He had always lived by cramming his body into guidelines set by others, thinking that was the best way. But once he broke free from the framework, everything felt new as if he had arrived in a new world.
The fact that he could change like this was all thanks to that guy. Even at this moment, his one and only troublemaker guild master who was gritting his teeth and throwing punches to land a fatal blow on him.
Doun was watching Samin’s fist slowly approaching. Because his head was spinning tautly with pure joy, happiness, and slight excitement, time seemed to flow particularly slowly.
‘How will he attack next?’
He gauged Samin’s next attack. If desired, he was willing to fight for hours until exhaustion. But he was also worried that choice might tarnish Samin’s image.
Even if he couldn’t steal his number one title, wasn’t he still number two? Moreover, Samin was someone in his twenties who liked to look good and held the title of guild master.
‘It would be better to induce a forfeit so others would say he had no choice but to lose.’
Doun, who moved his body as if barely dodging Samin’s fist, drew up a massive amount of mana. Whooom, the air seemed to shake heavily and sway, and time quickly found its proper speed.
It was barely enough time to blink two or three times. When his fist aimed beyond the acrid smoke hit nothing, Samin’s face contorted. He instinctively realized his attack had failed.
He was about to compose his expression and look for an opportunity when the absurd scene revealed as the smoke cleared made him unconsciously sigh.
“…Ah.”
The pair of strangely glowing pupils staring at him had more sparkle than usual. It was because of the countless weapons standing densely behind the owner of those pupils.
Though their lengths and shapes were all different, they were definitely swords. Things that should normally rampage wildly, staining their blades with blood and threatening opponents’ lives, were standing still without disorder for some reason. With their sharp sword points aimed at him.
The moment he realized the source of the unease, Samin lost his fighting spirit.
What was suppressing the paths of the swords summoned to take form in this place at the cost of the caster’s mana was none other than Doun’s mana. With extremely detailed and precise mana control, he had preserved the movements of those countless things.
So he could attack his opponent at any time with just a glance or a breath.
‘If I get hit by those, I’ll have no choice but to expose my bare flesh to the world…’
How could he dodge not just one or two, but things that filled even beyond his field of vision? Even if he used a movement skill to escape upward, those things would chase him ignoring even gravity.
“Want to do more? We still have plenty of time.”
It meant he would respond more if desired. Samin exhaled long as if trying to shake off his lingering attachment, then lightly shook his head.
“I don’t want to. I lost.”
Samin was quick to give up. Among all guild masters in Korea, he was a man who had declared forfeit more than anyone else, enough to proudly claim first place in the number of conquest abandonments.
But just as giving up wasn’t synonymous with despair, for Samin, giving up was just a rest for a better choice. Though he couldn’t land a decent blow on Doun, there was gain just in making him want to fight seriously.
Samin chose to forfeit while watching the clusters of light that scattered in an instant.
[Notification: The duel established using ‘Priority Opponent Designation Right (L)’ is ending. ‘Magnetic (S)’ wins due to ‘Slope (S)’s forfeit.]
[Notification: Congratulations on your victory. 1,000,000 points are awarded as compensation.]
The points awarded as compensation were greater than when he won the duel with Timer. At this point, the hypothesis that compensation was set higher for duels that would be interesting to third parties gained more credibility.
Doun looked up blankly.
Was the unknown being called the tower’s creator or system administrator watching him?
‘Really… does it want something?’
What was the reason for making a tower that gave rewards as if motivating like this, and allowed systematic multiple attempts using the conquest abandonment system? What exactly was at the end of the tower whose top floor was unknown?
It was a question no one could answer without going there directly. Doun recalled Samin who had declared forfeit.
He thought his pride might have been hurt a little, but it was all groundless worry. At the moment of forfeit, Samin was clearly smiling as if relieved. As if he had achieved all his goals.
‘Anyway, I’m glad I don’t have to grant the wish to wear strange clothes.’
Doun wiped the sweat running down his chin with the back of his hand. A faint smile crossed his face as he pondered what to extract as a promise from Samin. He seemed to have thought of something good.
* * *
“Wow. To give this many points even though I lost.”
Throughout the way home, Samin sang the point, point song on repeat. Though he lost the duel, he said 500,000 points had fallen to his share.
“I lost, but the aliens must have thought I fought well. It feels strange to be recognized but also good.”
After washing and coming out, Samin grinned like a satisfied cat while giving off the scent of shampoo. He seemed excited about the unexpected harvest.
“What a rare occasion for the administrator to do well. Even I saw that you fought amazingly.”
Doun naturally looked down at Samin, who had lain down using his thigh as a pillow. He wondered if this was the same person who had been rushing at him throwing punches on the duel floor just moments ago. He was blatantly acting clingy with eyes that seemed to ask why he wasn’t touching his hair.
‘I was just thinking of touching it anyway.’
Doun chuckled and roughly ruffled Samin’s wavy hair. Then Samin’s mouth corners, which had been twitching with pleasure, shot up high.
“But I really felt anew how much hyung has been going easy on me all this time.”
“If you know that, you should listen to me well from now on, right?”
“Of course. I’m going to serve you like a master.”
“Good. If you don’t want to get knocked on the head, listen better from now on.”
“Yes, master.”
They exchanged a few more silly words when Samin suddenly bolted upright from the bed. Wondering why he was suddenly acting like that, Doun looked to see him dramatically kneel on one knee on the bed and look up at him.
“Man Kyung Samin. I don’t say two things with one mouth. I manfully admit defeat, and whatever wish hyung tells me, I’ll grant it for you.”
It was the wish story he had briefly forgotten. Though Samin had received an enormous amount of points as compensation despite losing the duel, Doun had also briefly forgotten until Samin brought it up first.
“You’ll grant anything?”
“…Yes. Even if you ask me to transfer the title to our guild building, I’ll gladly transfer it, and I’ll somehow manage the transfer tax hyung would have to pay too.”
Tremendous words poured out without hesitation. With that level of resolve, it seemed his wish would be more than granted. Doun slightly lowered his upper body and spoke while slightly avoiding Samin’s bright gaze.
“Then when I sometimes… no, often get depressed and suddenly act crazy, trust me and wait just a little. Compared to before, I’ve gotten much better, but sometimes I inevitably get strangely depressed.”
“…”
“I can’t help that either… Even when I try, sometimes I can’t control it. It won’t take too long to get better. I’ve reduced my medication a lot, and I’ll make sure you don’t regret deciding to date me.”
“…”
“That’s my wish. To be patient with me when I’m frustrating and act strange.”
Samin blankly stared at Doun’s fingertips, then slowly raised his head. Past the finely trembling fingertips, beyond the chest rising and falling faster than usual, he could see a face with a very serious expression.
“So hyung’s wish is… for me to wait even when hyung sometimes gets irritated or acts frustrating and does strange things?”
Hearing his rambling, lengthy words condensed into one sentence suddenly made it feel like he was asking for a shameless wish. Yet Doun nodded. That was all he wanted from Samin.
“Yeah.”
When he even answered aloud to add certainty, Samin let out a small breath.
‘I was thinking of vulgar wishes like just wearing one of my shirts. What kind of wish is hyung making with something like this? It’s driving me crazy!’
One side was only thinking of making wishes completely surrendered to desire, while the other was only thinking of lovely and even beautiful wishes. He had been planning to grant such things anyway without needing to speak with such tension as if asking for a wish.
“I like hyung including even the parts where you get irritated at me, throw tantrums, curse, and punch me. This wish is totally free. I understand. Wish accepted!”
Samin’s eyes sparkled as he smiled, then kissed Doun’s right cheek. At the smacking sound, Doun finally seemed to breathe.
“And liking and cherishing you isn’t enough, so why would I hate you? I’m too busy doing this and that with hyung to have energy for hating. Don’t worry. I’m a man who does what he says he’ll do. I’ll definitely grant your wish.”
Samin’s words “I do what I say I’ll do” had never sounded this reliable, but today they were particularly reassuring. Doun slowly caught his breath that he had been holding and pulled Samin into a tight embrace.
The sound of his pounding heart was loud, but it didn’t matter. That sound wasn’t only Samin’s.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
